Packer Nation News

Welcome to school year 2026-2027! Beginning with the very first day of school, the energy and Packer Pride has been high! If you missed it, check out this Inforum article featuring our first day of school pep rally!

We appreciate all you have done as supportive families to make the beginning of the school year a success! From ensuring strong attendance to encouraging involvement in Packer activities, your partnership is essential!

This newsletter contains important information that will provide families with resources to start the year off right and be involved in WFHS events. Additional information can be found on school and district webpages. You can also follow West Fargo High School on Facebook (@WFHighPackers) and Instagram (@wfhs.pack). After review, do not hesitate to contact the school with questions or concerns.

A few notes for your radar:

• As a reminder, all student personal devices, including smartwatches, must be out-of-sight and out-of-use from 8:25a-3:35p to ensure compliance with the state law.
• There are changes to the high school attendance policy and procedures. More information is provided below!
• Mark your calendars for Thursday, October 8! Quarter 1 family conferences will be held on Thursday, October 8 from 4:00-7:30p. Information will be sent out prior to the event with details about teacher locations, etc. During this time, WFHS will host informational meetings for 9th grade families about goal-setting and four-year plans at 5:00p and for 12th grade families about completing the FAFSA at 6:00p.
• One of our goals at West Fargo High School is to ensure our students have choices for their future upon graduating. Through North Dakota's Choice Ready framework, students are encouraged to be post-secondary ready, workforce ready, and/or military ready. The North Dakota Scholarship is also aligned to the Choice Ready matrix. You can check out the most recent scholarship guidance and help your learner create a plan to accomplish this for money toward post-secondary training or school.
• Jostens will be visiting West Fargo High School to visit with seniors and sophomores! On Thursday, October 1, all seniors will meet with Jostens during WIN to learn about cap and gown orders for graduation. All sophomores will meet with Jostens during WIN to learn about class rings and letterman jackets on a date to be shared later this fall.
• WFHS administration met with all grades on the first day of school. You can check out those presentations here. You can also view what we talked about at Back-to-School Night family meetings for all grades here.

We look forward to celebrating Homecoming Week with you all at the end of this month and honoring West Fargo High School tradition. It's always a great day to be a Packer.

All my best,

Rachel Bachmeier

In the spirit of continuous improvement, please provide feedback via the following forms as you are able! They are also posted as QR codes in the WFHS Main Office! We review responses submitted via these forms monthly to help us strengthen our practices as a campus. Thank you for your feedback! Go Packers!

Tell us about school safety

Tell us about the WFHS experience

Tell us about staff who are doing an excellent job!

• Infinite Campus and Schoology Access: Help your learner with academic support by staying on top of their progress! Make sure you can access your learner's grades and attendance in Infinite Campus and assignment and assessment information in Schoology! If a student has a grade in both Schoology and Infinite Campus, please remember that Infinite Campus is the OFFICIAL gradebook for learners. If you need help gaining access, please contact the WFHS Main Office!
• Peer Tutors: Peers Tutors are available every block in the Library Media Center to support students! Get help directly from other Packers who have experienced their courses.
• Ask! The best way to advocate for academic support is to reach out to the teacher with questions and concerns!

The contact information and counselor alphabet splits are below. Please contact your learner’s school counselor with any questions/concerns.

Welcome Back!

The WFHS Counseling Department is excited to welcome learners to the 2026-27 school year! We look forward to working with learners individually, in groups, and in classrooms. School counselors help all students apply academic achievement strategies, manage emotions and apply interpersonal skills, and plan for postsecondary options (higher education, military, work force).

Family Resources:

Please encourage your learner to ask for what they need. Students commonly struggle in class, but do not talk with their teachers about those struggles. We know asking for help, especially the first time, can be hard. Practicing how to have those conversations with your learner can be helpful. While it may feel uncomfortable, hearing yourself say out loud how you would ask for help is a great way to feel more confident in those conversations. Encourage your learner to reach out to their teachers in ways that work for them, such as talking before or after class or sending them a message on Schoology.

Counseling Appointments:

Learners may make their own appointments to meet with their school counselor by going to the Counseling Office to identify a time that works with their schedule. This is the most efficient way to get learners on our calendars versus emailing. So, please encourage your learner to stop in and make an appointment!

If parents/guardians are concerned about their learner, they may reach out directly to their learner’s school counselor using the contact information below.

Important Dates

SEPTEMBER:

• 8-11: Grade 9 Minute Meetings & Welcome to 9th Grade
  
• 21-25: Grade 10 Minute Meetings

OCTOBER:

• 5-9: Grade 12 Minute Meetings
  
• 12: Choice Ready Day
• 19-22: "It's Real: Teens and Mental Health" unit in Grade 9 Health Class
• 27: PSAT Testing

Minute Meetings are brief check-ins between the student and school counselor that are conducted two times per school year. The purpose of Minute Meetings is to ensure every student gets the opportunity to speak with their school counselor, discuss postsecondary goals, and identify whether further academic, career, or social-emotional supports are needed.

North Dakota became the first state to require cybersecurity education for all K-12 students following Gov. Doug Burgum's signing of HB 1398. To graduate from a North Dakota high school, the law requires students to take at least one course in computer science or cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity Learning Objectives:
Digital Foundation & Ethics

• Evaluate one's digital identity and footprint
• Make personal judgments about ethical use of technology
• Describe hardware and software problems using appropriate terminology
• Implement systematic troubleshooting strategies

Storage, Cloud Computing & Information Security

• Compare and contrast storage options for different needs
• Develop personal procedures for backup and storage management
• Identify advantages and disadvantages of cloud computing models
• Appropriately utilize cloud computing resources
• Monitor and manage personal information shared online
• Implement security best practices for personal information

Legal Framework & Social Responsibility

• Properly use copyrighted works applying fair use guidelines
• Explain intellectual property laws' effects on innovation and creativity
• Understand and comply with responsible and acceptable use policies
• Use technology to collaborate effectively and broaden perspectives
• Evaluate impacts of current and emerging technologies

Security Management & Future Planning

• Differentiate between security and feature updates
• Analyze urgency of installing updates considering differences
• Collect, organize, analyze, and interpret cybersecurity data
• Connect cybersecurity learning to career opportunities

This is required for ALL learners for high school graduation. Our current junior class will be working on this course to earn proficiency in the Computer Science and Cybersecurity Standards during advisory on the first day of each week. Students who miss or skip advisory will need to make up the content to be eligible for graduation. There will be occasional WIN sessions offered for additional support. Students will also get credit for completing the course.

Packer Backers is West Fargo High School's booster program. All money raised is used to support our students, athletes, staff, and community. For example, Packer Backer donations have made senior class breakfasts, new scoreboards, and new scoring tables possible! They do not only support athletics; they have provided financial support for a variety of school programs including DECA, FCCLA, Post Prom/Post Grad, and Spanish Club to name a few!

For more information, reach out to wfpackerbackers@gmail.com!

Please review information regarding attendance below. Absences are tallied by COURSE. For example, if a student misses an entire five-day week, they might have missed A Day classes 3 times and B Day classes 2 times. Subsequently, the student would have cumulated 3 or 2 absences in their individual courses, not 5.

The School Board has adopted the following policy regarding attendance:

"Learners must not be absent more than 12 times from each semester course in which they are enrolled if they are to receive credit that will count toward graduation. Exceptions which may be approved include illness substantiated by a statement from a doctor, supporting a family member, or other special circumstances approved by the principal."

When learners' absences go beyond the required limits, school administration will decide if the learner will stay in the class, be dropped from the class, and/or possibly assigning the learner to a study area for the remainder of the semester during the period they were scheduled for that class.

The following reasons for absences from school will be excused:

• Sickness of learner
• Sickness in the learner’s family necessitating their absence
• Conditions over which the learner has no control such as poor weather conditions

• Documented medical note (doctor, dentist, etc.) including the date(s) of absence
• School-sanctioned activity, field trip, etc.
• Emergency situations as determined in collaboration with the school administrator, such as a death in the learner’s family

Learners who skip classes will be given time in detention to make up for at least every minute they miss. A pattern of skipping will result in a meeting to consider educational alternatives.

Every fifth unexcused tardy converts to an unexcused absence and the learner is assigned 90 minutes of detention.

Regarding eligibility and attendance, on the day of competition, learners cannot miss class without a medical note. This includes excused absences. Please plan accordingly!

WFHS Career Center Resources:

For questions or interest in exploring your Career and College Readiness opportunities visit the Career Center webpages or book an appointment with Career Advisor, Allison Caldwell.

• WFHS Career Center: https://wfhs.web.west-fargo.k12.nd.us/programs/career-center
• Allison Caldwell: acaldwell@west-fargo.k12.nd.us

College Application Month:

WFHS will be participating in College Application Day on Monday, October 12. On this day, the Bank of North Dakota will pay each senior students’ application fee for one ND college or university or part of the application fee to other select accredited training programs. We will also have representatives from various colleges and universities to aid in the application process. If you or your learner have questions, please contact WFHS Career Advisor, Allison Caldwell at acaldwell@west-fargo.k12.nd.us.

WFHS Senior Choice Ready Day:

On Monday, October 12, WFHS Seniors will have the opportunity to learn more about post-secondary pathway options and opportunities. During this on-campus event, seniors will be able to visit a variety of stations with topics including: College Application Support with BND, Scholarships, Apprenticeships, Military Careers, and workforce readiness. If your student is unable to attend the event and would like more information please email Career Advisor, Allison Caldwell at acaldwell@west-fargo.k12.nd.us.

Transcript Requests:

Current and former students can request their transcript by completing this form on the WFHS website. **If you took a dual-credit course, you are required to send an official transcript directly from NDSCS to the college(s) to which you apply. To request transcripts from NDSCS go to: http://www.ndscs.edu/current-students/request-transcripts/.

NCAA Eligibility:

Does your learner have potential plans to play a sport at the collegiate level? If so, please encourage your learner to communicate with their school counselor, administrator, and the activities department to make sure they are academically eligible. More information can be found here: https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/

Bank of North Dakota Dual Credit Assistance Program:

Bank of North Dakota covers the cost of up to two college courses per school year for high school sophomores, juniors and seniors who participate in Free or Reduced Price Lunch. If students have questions about this support or their eligibility, they can meet with their school counselor. The deadline to submit applications is the last day of the semester in which they are taking the course.

North Dakota Scholarship:

Senior students graduating from a North Dakota high school may be eligible for this scholarship that can be used at a North Dakota college, university, or eligible training program. There are several requirements that must be met to be eligible for a scholarship worth up to $6,000. Information on the available scholarships can be found in the Counseling Office or online.

• WFHS Bell Schedules

• 2026-2027 District Calendar Link

• Information about Student Activities

• Application for Free Reduced Meals
• Parent Portal of PowerSchool for Parents/Guardians
• FAQ for Parent Portal
• Schoology for Parents/Guardians
• MySchoolBucks
• Graduation Requirements
• College Planning Checklists
• Financial Aid and Scholarship Information
• Transcript Requests

• ​Homecoming Week: Monday, September 28-Friday, October 2
• Quarter 1 Family Conferences: Thursday, October 8 (4:00-7:30p)​
• Senior Photos Due to the Yearbook: December 12​
• West Fargo Public Schools ACT Option: April 10, 2027 (tentative)​
• NDA+ (grade 10) and ASVAB (grades 11 and 12) testing (required): Week of April 12, 2027​
• Senior Capstone Presentations: Wednesday, April 28 in the morning​
• Prom: Saturday, May 1​
• Senior Day: Friday, May 14​
• Mandatory Graduation Rehearsal: Friday, May 28 @ 2:00p​
• Graduation: Sunday, May 30 @ 3:00p (graduates report by 2:00p)​

Email: wfhs@west-fargo.k12.nd.us
Website: https://wfhs.web.west-fargo.k12.nd.us/
Location: 801 9th Street East, West Fargo, ND, USA
Phone: 701-356-2050